Part 2: Diffusion of Innovations

Editor’s Note: Frances Shure, M.A., L.P.C., has performed an in-depth analysis addressing a key issue of our time: “Why Do Good People Become Silent – or Worse – About 9/11?” The resulting essay, being presented here as a series, is a synthesis of reports from academic research as well as clinical observations.

In answering the question in the title of this essay, last month’s segment addressed the observation that resistance to information that substantially challenges our worldview is the rule rather than the exception; the various forms of fear that underlie this resistance, our American “sacred myth”; and the observation that many of us unconsciously relate to our governmental leaders as parental figures on whom we project our (often unmet) needs for a protective parent.

Here, in Part 2, Shure expands her analysis with an anthropological study on how new ideas become accepted in societies and a look at the possibilities for acceptance of the truth about what really happened on 9/11.

Anthropologists and rural sociologists have observed that consistently within diverse cultures there can be found groups that vary in their openness to new ideas and technology—groups that fall within a neat bell curve. In each culture, a few adventurous members (only 2.5%) readily adopt innovations. These venturesome folks are called “innovators.”

Illustration 1The opinion leaders (13.5%) come next. Called the “early adopters,” they are influential and respected members of the society. They listen to the innovators, and then, upon reflection, may change their mind-set and adopt the innovation.

The “early majority” (34%) switch after listening to the influential early adopters, and the “late majority” (also 34%) adopt the new way only because it is practical to do so. The “laggards” (the last 16%) may never change their minds.

These percentages hold for situations as disparate as the sale of a new technology from Silicon Valley to a new, paradigm-shifting idea for improving the safety of drinking water in a traditional village in Peru. It makes no difference.1

Since the beginning of September, select cities across North America have been subjected to a carefully led advertising campaign by the Rethink 9/11 movement promoting the idea that a new investigation of 9/11 is warranted.

Through the use of billboards, posters on buses and taxi top ads, the RETHINK 911 campaign has exposed millions of Americans and Canadians to the call through a simple question: “Did you know a 3rd tower fell on 9/11?”ReThink911.org

Outside of alternative media, and the internet, it has been difficult to communicate the anomalies and flaws in the official story of this incident. This mass messaging campaign is the first of its kind to get around mainstream media and the ghettoizing of 9/11 skepticism as “conspiracy theory.”

The campaign did ruffle a few feathers in Ottawa as a single complaint about this message on an Ottawa Transit bus caused civic authorities to rethink their advertising policy. The thinking was that the message was somehow an insult to 9/11 victims’ families.

In late November, 9/11 activists, including a technical expert, gave a professional presentation at the Ottawa Transit Commission. The presentation included footage of World Trade Centre 7 coming down at the speed of free fall.

Twelve years after 9/11, and almost a decade after the Keane Commission closed the books on the incident, it has become more acceptable to challenge the official story of 9/11.

ReThink911 Times Square billboardThe 9/11 Truth Movement in Canada has been fighting for its right to run ReThink911 ads in the Ottawa public transit, OC Transpo. The ReThinks ads read: “Did you know that a third tower fell on 9/11? World Trade Centre Building 7, not hit by a plane, collapsed in free fall 7 Hours after the Twin Towers”.

Transit Commission Chair and City Councillor Diane Deans called these ads “insensitive” and proposed to review OC Transpo’s advertising policy:

On November 20, members of the 911 Truth Movement asserted their right to free speech before the Transit Commission. Speaking on behalf of Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth, Isabelle Beenen told the commissioners:

Should such an activity be blocked because some in our society are uncomfortable about the implications of this building being brought down by controlled demolition? The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms says “no,” our right to share this information respectfully – as we have done – is protected.

Cy Vance, District Attorney for NY County, claims he has no jurisdiction to investigate 9/11 or prosecute anyone for their involvement in itArchitects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth has for years sought an impartial investigation, under public auspices, of the collapse of the Twin Towers and Building #7 at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Until we were recently advised on the applicable law, we had not petitioned for a grand jury investigation of the 9/11 event. We have been advised by counsel that various current and former officials in the federal government of the United States might have a conflict of interest with regard to initiating or conducting a genuine investigation. Various officials appear to be covering up the truth about the destruction of the three WTC towers – a crime that could be prosecuted under state laws relating to murder, arson, treason, and others. Therefore we have been advised to petition the key state public prosecutor with jurisdiction over the 9/11 event, requesting a meeting between our counsel, representatives from Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth, and Cyrus Vance, district attorney in and for New York County, which has jurisdiction over downtown Manhattan, and/or such members of his office as he should designate.

Don’t Want to Work Alone? Then Do It with A Friend!

The Do-It-Yourself Street Visibility Action Kit includes all you need for a one-person effort to take your commitment to the next step in reaching friends, neighbors, and complete strangersKick your motivation into action with one of our two exciting new ReThink911 Street Visibility Action Kits available today in the AE911Truth store. Now you have what you need to get folks out there to see you, and to seriously rethink the events of 9/11.

Our professionally crafted clothing and educational materials make it easy for you to reinforce the message of ReThink911, the global public awareness campaign we launched in September. Here is yet another way for you and all your 9/11-aware friends to educate the public and galvanize support for a new investigation of the destruction of the three WTC skyscrapers on 9/11/01. This campaign is led by AE911Truth and supported by a coalition of more than 30 organizations.

These packages will identify you as an informed activist with an important message. Let people on the street see you – and “pre-qualify” themselves. Many people find that, while they’re wearing our T-shirts or hats, others will strike up a conversation!

Street visibility with the public has been as important to the 9/11 Truth Movement as our outreach to media and government

Deconstructing the NIST WTC 7 Building Report

In the October Blueprint, AE911Truth published the conclusion of Chris Sarns’ five-part series in which he documented five key misstatements in NIST’s explanation of the initiation of collapse of WTC 7. August had previously seen the introduction of four short videos produced by a small team of international, independent researchers who are working in collaboration with AE911Truth. These analyses can be understood by anyone willing to study the details.

We expand here on the last of the four videos, entitled ‘MaladmiNISTration,’ as it introduced new information following NIST’s June 2012 Erratum document in which they admitted errors in their report.

Our short video from last month’s article on the subject will help to reacquaint you with this important development:

Part 1: Preface and Introduction

Editor’s Note: Frances Shure, M.A., L.P.C., has performed an in-depth analysis addressing a key issue of our time: “Why Do Good People Become Silent—or Worse—About 9/11?” The resulting essay, to be presented here as a series, is comprised of a synthesis of reports on academic research as well as clinical observations.

Ms. Shure’s analysis begins with recognition of the observation made by the psychology professionals interviewed in the documentary “9/11: Explosive Evidence – Experts Speak Out” by Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth, who cite our human tendencies toward denial in order to avoid the discomfort of cognitive dissonance. Indeed, resistance to information that substantially challenges our worldview is the rule rather than the exception, Ms. Shure explains. This is so because fear is the emotion that underlies most of the negative reactions toward 9/11 skeptics’ information. Ms. Shure addresses the many types of fear that are involved, and how they tie into the “sacred myth” of American exceptionalism.

Through the lenses of anthropology and social psychology, Ms. Shure focuses on diffusion of innovations; obeying and believing authority; doublethink; cognitive dissonance; conformity; groupthink; terror management theory; systems justification theory; signal detection theory; and prior knowledge of state crimes against democracy and deep politics. Through the lens of clinical psychology, Ms. Shure explores viewpoints described in the sections on learned helplessness; the abuse syndrome; dissociation; and excessive identification with the United States government. Two sections on brain research provide astonishing insights into our human nature.

Finally, the sections entitled “American Exceptionalism,” “Governmental Manipulation and the ‘Big Lie,’” and Those Who Lack Conscience and Empathy” contain valuable information from an amalgam of the disciplines of history, social psychology, clinical psychology, and brain research. The final sections address how we can communicate about 9/11 evidence more effectively, and our human need for awareness and healing. Ms. Shure concludes by quoting poet Langston Hughes in an inspiring epilogue, which asks: “Is America Possible?”

This month’s installment begins with Ms. Shure’s Preface and Introduction. Succeeding segments will continue the journey that explores contributions of Western psychology in answering the pressing question, “Why Do Good People Become Silent—or Worse—about 9/11?”